Summer Day in Historical Philadelphia and More
Philly in warm weather is a whole different vibe. There are so many activities involving local artists, history, festivals, carnivals and so much more.
Growing up outside of Philadelphia, I spent time visiting the historical sites as a child, but who remembers details from tours at the age of 8 or 9 or 10 or 11? I mean who really remembers how many stars did Betsy Ross sew onto the original American flag? Hint: forget what you learned in school. The answer is at the end.
One thing to note is that we didn’t plan to attend any specific events, so we missed a lot of the major ones. But you know what? C'est la vie. Don’t be like me—if you’re interested in historical events this summer, try to make it on time to the major ones.
Philly is often overlooked, sandwiched between NYC and DC, yet it’s a city brimming with history and charm, proudly known as the City of Brotherly Love. This isn’t a history lesson writeup but rather it has elements of historical activities. Maybe I’ll dive into Philly’s rich past in another blog. For now, join me as I share my adventure of spending a day exploring this vibrant city and its summer activities. And of course, I can't forget to mention the iconic Rocky statue, though this post isn’t about him. Sorry 🧐.
Tried and failed to take an aesthetics photo at City Center, Philly.
Independence Hall + Liberty Bell
Once we arrived at Jefferson Station, we headed towards Independence Hall visitor’s center to use the bathroom. It’s nearly impossible to walk around with a full bladder. I won’t go into too much detail about Independence Hall since we didn’t spend much time there. But here are a few highlights to keep in mind:
The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed there.
The Liberty Bell was rung and cracked there. There were two bells—the first was ordered in 1751 and cracked on the first ring, so a replacement bell was made and didn’t start cracking until the 1840s.
It’s an UNESCO World Heritage site
The line to view the liberty bell was long so I’d recommend going early to beat the crowd.
My dear friend Benjamin Franklin (Penny Benny).
Training of the Troops Activity
My mother would disown me if she heard this, but I got recruited to a musket training camp. The training took about 30 minutes, during which we learned to march to the beat of a drum, hold flags bigger than me, salute the general, and grasp the essence of patriotism and fighting for a cause. At the end of the training, they asked us to sign up to join the fight. In good conscience, I couldn’t and wouldn’t serve—I’m opposed to bearing arms, thanks to my Quaker values. So, I politely declared myself a conscientious objector. But guess what? They still managed to recruit an adorable 1.5-year-old. So I felt safe.
This event was meant for the little ones, and sadly there weren’t many people in attendance—just one other family with a few kiddos. I don’t know about you, but I always feel a bit sad for reenactors who work so hard to make the event interesting and interactive, only to have a few or no participants show up. I intended to just watch but somehow got roped into the training camp. Now that I’ve had time to reflect, I’m pretty sure the reenactor thought I was a child based on him giving me a flag to hold when it should have gone to a literal child.
The flag is heavier than me. Almost got blown away by the winds of the flag.
Betsy Ross House
In true fashion, we were quite late to the flag-raising event of the ## (no cheating) star flag at Betsy Ross’s house’s courtyard. It’s okay though—the flag-raising happens daily from June 9th to September 2nd. We did, however, make it for the Philadelphia Heritage Chorale performance.
Elfreth’s Alley
Travel back to the 18th century by strolling down Elfreth’s Alley, nestled between 5th and 6th Streets. This National Historic Landmark is lined with colonial homes dating as far back as 1728. Believe it or not, people still live in these charming old houses. And if you've got $1.5 million floating around in your pocket, you, too, could own a piece of history. I was all set to put down an offer—until reality hit me and reminded me that I'm a broke Asian.
Juneteenth Wine and Arts Festival
After musket camp training and ringing the Liberty Bell, I was getting hungry, so we headed to the family-friendly festival at the Cherry Street Pier by the Ben Franklin Bridge, to celebrate Juneteenth and Black culture through wine tastings, art exhibits, and live music performances. And the live performances did not disappoint! This event is co-organized by The Women’s Coalition for Empowerment, Inc. and Cyrenity Sips Winery LLC, in partnership with the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. Again, being fashionably late (okay, late and not fashionable), I caught the last hour before it started wrapping up. Even within that hour, there were two great performers—@theladyalma and, unfortunately, I can’t recall the other one. This event features local Black-owned wineries, art exhibitions, craft vendors, and live performances.
Unfortunately, this event only happens two days out of the year, so you’ll have to wait until next year for its 3rd annual event at the Pier.
Philadelphia summers offer a vibrant mix of historical and cultural activities. Plan ahead, arrive early, and immerse yourself in the rich history and lively events of Philadelphia. To learn more about Philly upcoming events, check out Visit Philly.
Answer: Betsy Ross sewed 26 stars ⭐️. Don’t forget it needed to be double-sided. 13 stars on one side and 13 on the other side.